Galatians 6:3
in Galatians 6If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
KJV
For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
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This verse in Galatians 6
Commentary
17 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For if a man think himself to be something ... - see Gal 5:26. This is designed, evidently, to be another reason why we should be kind and tender to those who have erred. It is, that even those who are most confident may fall. They who feel secure, and think it impossible that they should sin, are not safe. They may be wholly deceived, and may be nothing, when they have the highest estimate of themselves. They may themselves fall into sin, and have need of all the sympathy and kindness of their brethren.
This site's exposition
he deceives himself
on Galatians 6:3-5
In verse 2 the burdens carried for one another are baros, a crushing weight. In verse 5 his own load is phortion, a soldier's pack. That is the duty no one can shoulder for him, so the two verses stand together.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"For if anyone seems to himself to be something," that alone is nothing of what he appears to be. Therefore he is deceiving himself in nothing. — [PHOTIUS] "he deceives his own mind." For if anyone were to approve his own work, and to examine …
It is true, and no one is unaware of it, that if we consider honestly our acts and thoughts we find ourselves superior to no one and cannot easily pass judgment on another. For the person who is puffed up as if he were something …
(Verse 3) For if anyone thinks that they are something when they are nothing, they deceive themselves. If anyone does not want to bear the burdens of others, and is merciless, satisfied only with their own work and virtue, not seeking what is of others but what is their own, that is, a lover only of themselves and not of God, they deceive themselves. However, it can be read and distinguished in two ways: Either, if anyone thinks that they are something when they are nothing, or in this way: If anyone thinks that they are something, as we will explain later, when they are nothing, they deceive themselves. And this difference resonates more in Greek than in Latin. The first sense of this distinction is: Whoever considers themselves to be something, and is nothing, deceives themselves. The second sense is deeper, and is more pleasing to us: If someone considers themselves to be something, in that they think they are something, not out of kindness towards their neighbor, but out of their own work and effort, judging themselves only by their own virtue, this person, out of this very arrogance, becomes nothing, and deceives themselves: which is better expressed in Greek as φρεναπατᾷ, which means, they deceive their own mind: for which the Latin interpreter has used the phrase, they deceive themselves. But he deceives his own mind, who thinks himself wise, and according to Isaiah, he is wise in himself and understands in his own sight (Isa. V). The understanding of this passage is connected to circumcision and the Law: Whoever is spiritual and does not have mercy on his neighbor, despising the humble because he himself is higher, deceives himself, not knowing that this is the law of the spirit, that we should love one another.
"For if a man thinketh himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself." Here again he reflects on their arrogance. He that thinks himself to be something is nothing, and exhibits at the outset a proof of his worthlessness by such a disposition.
This [verse] can be read in two distinct ways.… The sense of the first is "If someone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself."
10 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church4 voices
Again he overthrows pride here, showing that the one who considers himself to be something is nothing, and by this very opinion proves his own nothingness, and deceives not anyone else, but himself.
A commentator
BonaventureDisputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 1 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
No one arrives at full knowledge of God except through true and right knowledge of oneself; nor does he rightly know himself who does not attend to his own nothingness; for he who thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, deceives himself, as …
A commentator
Bernard of ClairvauxSermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 69 · Written before 1153.
proposed
For the foolish woman believed him who promised, but who was deceiving: "You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Had he not already first deceived himself, he who had persuaded himself that he would be like the Most High? For he who thinks …
The obstacle to fulfilling the above admonition is pride. And to exclude this he says, "For if any man think himself to be something, whereas he is nothing, he deceiveth himself." He says therefore: Do as I say. But it sometimes happens that one does …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
If any one think himself to be something - Above his brethren, or by any strength of his own. When he is nothing, he deceiveth himself - He alone will bear their burdens, who knows himself to be nothing.
Instead therefore of indulging such a vain-glorious humour, which is both destructive of the love and kindness we owe to our fellow-christians and also injurious to ourselves, it would much better become us to accept the apostle's exhortation ( Phil. ii. 3 ), Do nothing through strife nor vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
For if a man think himself to be something,....
In the latter he revives the main design of the epistle, which was to fortify the Galatians against the arts of their judaizing teachers, and confirm them in the truth and liberty of the gospel, for which purpose he, I.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Self-conceit, the chief hindrance to forbearance and sympathy towards our fellow men, must be laid aside. something--possessed of some spiritual pre-eminence, so as to be exempt from the frailty of other men. when he is nothing--The Greek is subjective: "Being, if he would come to himself, and look on the real fact, nothing" [ALFORD] (Ga 6:2, 6;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
If a man think himself to be something - i.e. To be a proper Christian man; when he is nothing; being destitute of that charity which beareth, hopeth, and endureth all things. See 1Co 13:1, etc. Those who suppose themselves to excel all others in piety, understanding, etc., while they are harsh, censorious, and overbearing, prove that they have not the charity that thinketh no evil; and in the sight of God are only as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. There are no people more censorious or uncharitable than those among some religious people who pretend to more light and a deeper communion with God. They are generally carried away with a sort of sublime, high sounding phraseology, which seems to argue a wonderfully deep acquaintance with Divine things; stripped of this, many of them are like Samson without his hair.
The words behind it
10 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| δοκεῖ | dokei | thinks [himself] | G1380 → | 62 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| εἶναί | einai | to be | G1511 → | 123 times |
| τι | ti | something | G5100 → | 528 times |
| μηδὲν | meden | nothing | G3367 → | |
| ὤν, | on | being, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| φρεναπατᾷ | phrenapata | he deceives | G5422 → | |
| ἑαυτόν· | he'auton | himself; | G1438 → | 322 times |
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
δοκεῖthinks [himself]
dokeiG1380 →62 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
εἶναίto be
einaiG1511 →123 times
τιsomething
tiG5100 →528 times
μηδὲνnothing
medenG3367 →
ὤν,being,
onG1510 →2333 times
φρεναπατᾷhe deceives
phrenapataG5422 →
ἑαυτόν·himself;
he'autonG1438 →322 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 12:3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure…
it leads to
- Proverbs 26:12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Philippians 2:3–8
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
- 1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Ecclesiastes 7:16
Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
- Proverbs 26:12
Through
2 Corinthians 3:5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 12:9
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of…
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9
Through
1 Corinthians 3:18Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.
it leads to
- Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- Proverbs 3:5
Where this verse is studied
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On this verse
About Galatians
This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 6.4.1; Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 69; Bonaventure, Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 1; J. B. Lightfoot, Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Galatians; Jerome, EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 3.6.3; John Chrysostom, Homily on Galatians 6; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Galatians; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Galatians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Galatians.